Success does not always begin with a carefully laid-out plan. Sometimes, it starts with a simple skill, a word of encouragement, and the courage to explore an opportunity.
For Ambassador Dr. Fatima Yusuf Nuhu (Dawisun Agaie) the journey into entrepreneurship began with cooking for her father and receiving encouraging feedback about her meals. What started as an ordinary activity gradually developed into a business that would open doors to catering contracts, entrepreneurship training, and opportunities to empower others.
Today, Nuhu is the Chief Executive Officer of First Alifat’s Catering Services and Restaurants, founder of the first alifat Foundation for Women and Youth, and a livestock officer with the Niger State Ministry of Livestock and Fishery Development, where she works in rabbit production. She is also a rabbit consultant.
Her story is one of gradual growth, determination, and the ability to turn a developing skill into an opportunity for business and service to society.
AN UNEXPECTED ACADEMIC JOURNEY
Nuhu’s path to her current professional life was not entirely what she had initially imagined.
She began her primary education at Mawo School in Minna before proceeding to Zarumi Model school.
She subsequently attended Government Girls Secondary School, where she spent her secondary school years between 1996 and 2002.
For her university education, she gained admission to the Federal University of Technology, Minna. Although she had applied to study Architecture, she was admitted to Animal Production, a course she initially found unappealing.
“I applied Achitecture but they gave me Animal Production, my father convinced me to take the course and yes I enjoyed it to the extent i have a masters degree in the same field, I also have a doctorate degree in entrepreneurship and manpower development from American University” in fatima’ s word.
This demonstrates how an unexpected turn in one’s educational journey can lead to new professional opportunities.
But while animal production became part of her career, another skill was gradually taking shape outside the classroom.
HOW COOKING BECAME A BUSINESS
Unlike many people who grow up dreaming of becoming chefs or caterers, Nuhu said catering was not a childhood ambition. It was a skill she developed over time.
Her interest grew from preparing meals for her father and receiving positive feedback about her cooking.
The encouragement inspired her to continue improving her skills.
As her confidence grew, she began teaching friends, even men will ask to teach thier spouses how to prepare different dishes, this was informal, learners provide the ingredients while she shared her knowledge.
The positive responses she received gradually opened her eyes to the possibility of turning her cooking skills into a business.
What began as home-based cooking and informal lessons eventually developed into a more organised catering and training venture. As demand increased, her home could no longer accommodate the growing number of activities, prompting her to establish a separate space.
Nuhu officially started as a business in 2007, Her experience illustrates how entrepreneurship can emerge from identifying the value of an existing skill and finding ways to meet people’s needs.
FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS TO MAJOR CATERING CONTRACTS
Building a business without an initial mentor required Nuhu to rely on personal determination, continuous learning, and recommendations from satisfied customers.
One significant turning point came when a friend in Abuja connected her to a catering contract for an event in Kontagora involving a titled personality.
That opportunity helped open the door to a larger engagement. She was subsequently referred to provide catering services for government events , even during the visit of former President Muhammadu Buhari to Niger State.
The engagement gave her business greater exposure and helped her establish relationships that contributed to its growth.
From preparing relatively small quantities of food, Nuhu gradually expanded her capacity to handle larger orders. She also diversified her menu to include barbecue, mocktails, and a wider variety of dishes.
Her experience highlights the importance of customer satisfaction, professional relationships, and referrals in building a business, particularly for entrepreneurs who may not have access to extensive marketing resources at the beginning.
Rather than waiting for overnight success, she expanded her operations gradually, using each opportunity as a stepping stone towards growth.
WHEN SETBACK STRUCK, SHE FOUND A WAY FORWARD
Every entrepreneurial journey has its difficult moments, and for Nuhu, one of the most challenging came in 2018.
According to her account, shortly after returning from Hajj, she discovered that her shop had been burgled. Essential baking equipment and a generator were all stolen.
The incident dealt a major blow to her business, threatening the operations she had worked hard to establish. “ I Almost gave up, because I was worried, where will i start from?” She said.
However, an unexpected opportunity emerged as she worked to recover from the setback.
Nuhu said the Central Bank of Nigeria contacted her because her centre had been selected for an Entrepreneurship Development Centre initiative.
The development provided an opportunity to resume and expand her training activities. She secured another shop opposite the police headquarters and took a personal loan to furnish the premises.
With the new facility, she was able to continue training aspiring entrepreneurs while strengthening her catering operations.
Her experience underscores a difficult reality for many small-business owners: losing essential equipment can threaten years of hard work, especially when resources are limited.
It also demonstrates the role that determination, access to opportunities, and a willingness to take calculated risks can play in rebuilding a business after a major setback.
BEYOND CATERING: A COMMITMENT TO WOMEN AND YOUTH
For Nuhu, entrepreneurship extends beyond preparing meals for events.
Through her catering and training activities, she has shared her skills with people interested in learning practical trades and exploring business opportunities.
She is also the founder of the First Alifat Foundation for Women and Youth, which adds a social dimension to her professional activities.
Her work in livestock production provides another avenue through which she applies her academic training and professional experience. As a livestock officer assigned to rabbit production, she also identifies as a rabbit consultant.
This combination of catering, entrepreneurship training, and livestock production reflects a career that has developed across different fields.
Nuhu also said she received an honorary doctoral degree in entrepreneurship and manpower development from American University.
LESSONS FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS.
Nuhu’s journey offers useful lessons for young people and women considering entrepreneurship.
First, a successful business does not always begin with substantial capital or a perfect plan. In her case, it began with a skill that developed through practice and encouragement.
Second, customer satisfaction can create opportunities for growth. Recommendations from people who had experienced her services helped connect her to larger catering contracts.
Third, setbacks do not necessarily mark the end of a business. Although the theft in 2018 disrupted her operations, she sought opportunities to rebuild and continued pursuing her entrepreneurial goals.
Her experience also highlights the importance of practical skills training in helping people explore self-employment and develop alternative sources of income.
However, the journey of entrepreneurs such as Nuhu also brings attention to the challenges small businesses face, including the cost of equipment, access to finance, and the need for suitable facilities to expand their operations.
Supporting small businesses through relevant training, accessible financing, and opportunities to reach larger markets could help more entrepreneurs turn their skills into sustainable enterprises.
A JOURNEY STILL UNFOLDING
From cooking for her father to building a catering business, Nuhu’s journey demonstrates how an ordinary activity can develop into a larger professional undertaking.
Her path has included an unexpected academic direction, gradual business growth, major catering opportunities, and a setback that forced her to rebuild.
Today, her professional activities span catering, entrepreneurship training, and livestock production, while her foundation reflects an additional interest in women and youth.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, her experience offers a reminder that success can emerge from skills developed over time, opportunities pursued with determination, and the willingness to keep moving forward when circumstances become difficult.
Her story is not simply about turning cooking into a business; it is about recognising potential in an everyday skill and gradually building something more substantial from it.
By Aisha Muhammed Kudu